History Always Repeats Itself
by Adele Elisabeth
Summary: Sequel to 'Surprise!', mildly AU. Annabelle Giles fell through a portal into a reality she doesn't belong in. Her moviestar mom and Watcher dad are frantic back home, but Annabelle's busy making her presence felt in the world of the Liam family.
1. Realities Collide

[Disclaimer: I do not own anything Joss Whedon created, much as I'd like to own Spike...]

Author's Note:

Back by popular demand!

Well...sorta, anyway.

I was toying with a sequel anyway, but when I saw a few reviews (okay, all the reviews of chapter seven I've got so far) that wanted me to write the sequel, I figured, let's stop toying with it and actually start writing it. 

C/G isn't my usual pairing, as you who read my work will know already. I usually have C/A and G/A(nya). 

I just liked the way the C/G pairing meant my story could end. Well, now I'll have to explore it just that little bit more. 

Okay, there will be no B/A in my story. Nor will there be any B/S. I have decided on pairings, and refuse to change my mind. 

History Always Repeats Itself

Summary: Sequel to 'Surprise!', mildly AU. Annabelle Giles fell through a portal into a reality she doesn't belong in. Her moviestar mom and Watcher dad are frantic back home, but Annabelle's busy making her presence felt in the world of the Liam family. 

Chapter One: Realities Collide

by Adele Elisabeth

"So...if your mom is my mom, but not my mom, and your dad is Uncle Rupert...that makes you and me half-sisters." Genevieve Liam informed the little girl on the sofa. 

Half an hour ago, Annabelle Giles, five-years-old, fell through a portal during a demon attack and landed in the Liam family's living room. This was the girl she used to hear about sometimes, Genevieve, who had fallen through a similar portal when she was Annabelle's age, into Annabelle's world. 

Annabelle didn't like Genevieve's world. 

On the upside, she still got to call Cordelia 'Mommy', and she had a new brother and sister. But they weren't really her family, and she wanted to go home. Daddy promised to take her to London in the summer. 

"You look just like I did at your age," the fourteen-year-old commented. "Except your eyes are blue. Looks kind of weird. Y'know, tan skin, brown hair -- blue eyes. Must get it from Uncle Rupert."

"Daddy says my eyes are pretty." Annabelle offered, her first words since she told them who she was. 

"He's right." Owen had joined them. "And who exactly are you, and who is your daddy?" 

"Annabelle Elizabeth Giles, and my daddy is Rupert Giles, and my mommy is Cordelia Giles." Annabelle rattled off. "Daddy calls me Bella, and Mommy calls me Anna." She squinted at Genevieve. "Genevieve keeps calling me A.B."

"Well, Gen spends too much time with Aunt Faith." Owen flopped down next to the little girl. "Let me guess, alternate reality girl?" 

"How did you know?"

"Same thing happened to Gen, ages ago. Freaky sh--stuff." 

"I know. Mommy and Daddy were there." 

"Really? Cool. Y'want some ice-cream? Mom's in the other room, talking to Dad -- I bet she's telling him about you. Anyway, Mom and Dad are busy, so we can go eat ice-cream. If we get in trouble, just say I'm a bad influence on ya."

"Ice-cream?" Annabelle perked up.

"Yup."

"With sprinkles?"

"You betcha."

"And chocolate sauce?"

"Gallons of it."

"Whipped cream?"

"You want it, you got it." 

"You're the best not-really-my-brother ever!" Annabelle squealed, and followed Owen into the kitchen like a puppy. 

Genevieve stared after them, incredulous. Owen Liam -- good with kids. Umm, excuse me? This was Owen we're talking about, right? Bi-zarre.

"Yes, this is he." 

"Cordelia, have you been drinking?"

"You're telling me a little girl just landed in your living room, from an alternate reality where you and I are married. Pardon me for being skeptical."

"Okay, okay, okay, I surrender. We'll be there tomorrow afternoon. By the way, what's her name?"

"Annabelle. That's..."

"No, I'm fine, don't worry."

"Nothing's the matter. It just...surprised me."

"A name can be very surprising at times, Cordelia."

"Annabelle was my little sister's name, all right? She died when she was about six or so. I was ten at the time, I believe."

"It's not sad, it's life." 

"All right, it's sad too."

"Unlike you Americans, we in England are not obsessed with therapy."

"Yes, you can take that as a no."

"If you are quite finished, Ms Liam?"

"I do not sound like Wesley!"

"What did you just call me?"

"You bloody did, I heard you."

"I refuse to be compared to Spike!"

"Cordelia, stop sniggering this instant."

"All right. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, I will tell the others."

"Firstly, yes, that does include Buffy, and secondly, you and Buffy really are quite alike, when you think about it."

"Well, that's what you get for comparing me to Spike. Goodbye Cordelia." 

"Giles and Anya will be here tomorrow." Cordelia announced. 

Faith had been showing Annabelle the correct way to hold a stake, and teaching the little tyke some generic self-defense. However, she lost Annabelle's attention at mention of Giles. "Daddy is coming here? I mean, notDaddy."

"Yes, he'll arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon." Cordelia nodded. After a beat, she added, "And Anya."

"Auntie Anya, Auntie Willow's girlfriend? I like her." 

They all choked a bit on that one. 

(Okay, Faith was sniggering, but that's just her)

"What? Auntie Anya says most demons are bi--bi--they bat for both teams." Annabelle defended. 

"Bat for both teams? Who taught you that one, kiddo?" Faith inquired lazily.

"You did, Auntie Faith." 

"That makes sense." 

"Mommy says you are incorrigible."

"She could be right."

"You said that last time I told you, too."

"What if she doesn't like me?" Anya asked her husband, anxiously. It had been weighing on her mind. She didn't mind that in a different reality, he was married to somebody else, or that his alternate reality self's daughter was here.

She was just worried that Giles's daughter wouldn't like her. 

"Don't be daft, Anya, of course she'll like you." Giles reassured her, tracing circles in the small of her back. "Why wouldn't she?" Giles had to admit, he was a little worried about much the same thing -- would she like him? 

"Well, we're about to find out." Anya took a deep breath, and walked into the Hyperion.

"Auntie Anya, Da--" Annabelle faltered. What did she call him now? "I guess I should call you Uncle Rupert, huh?" 

"I really don't mind what you call me." Giles assured her. "What do you call Cordelia?"

"Mommy."

"Then I suppose I can live with you calling me Daddy."

"Okay." 

"You know me?" Anya asked, curiously. 

"Of course I do, Auntie Anya. You and Auntie Willow live really close to me and Mommy and Daddy."

"I live with Willow?"

"You got married in your demon religion." Annabelle told her cheerfully. "It was like Catholicism, but with demons. It was pretty recent, too. I was the flower girl." 

Anya paused to take this in, and then nodded. "Was it a nice wedding?"

"Anya...!" 

"Hush, Rupert, I'm talking to her now." Anya told her husband, sitting next to Annabelle on the sofa. "Was it?"

"It was the best wedding I've ever been to." Okay, it was the only wedding she'd ever been to. But still.

"Did I have bridesmaids? Did Willow?"

"Well, you had Auntie Hallie, and Auntie Willow had Auntie Buffy, and Mommy. Daddy gave Auntie Willow away, and your old boss -- D'Hoffryn? Something like that -- gave you away."

Anya nodded. She and Annabelle were getting on like a house on fire. One question... "Do you like money?"

"I like the smell of it, and I like counting money. Sometimes you let me help you in the Magic Box. That's the magic-shop you and Auntie Willow own."

Meanwhile, Giles was talking quietly to Cordelia and Angel. "This is rather like what happened with Genevieve, isn't it?"

"We had noticed that." Angel observed drily. 

"Annabelle seemed to know what we were talking about when I mentioned it. She wouldn't have been there, but evidently it's been mentioned since then to her." Cordelia told the Englishman. 

"It's the sort of thing that would stick in someone's memory, I suppose." Giles nodded, slowly. 

"I would imagine so. It certainly stuck in ours." Cordelia ran a hand through her hair. 

"Indeed." 

"What are we going to do?" Angel asked, the question on everyone's mind. 

"Try and find a way to send her home." Giles answered immediately. "I expect her parents are trying to find a way to get her home, too. They must be frantic."

In The 'Giles' reality

'Frantic' did not do Cordelia Giles justice.

Willow had had to take her home, and she was currently sleeping peacefully. And yes, it was a magic induced sleep, but they didn't know what else to do, and had asked permission first.

"Giles? Cordy's safe and sound, and sleeping." Willow told the exhausted ex-Watcher, as she walked back into the Magic Box. 

"Good, good." He mumbled distractedly. 

Anya took Willow aside. "He keeps falling asleep on his books. Unfortunately, he keeps waking back up again. We should do something."

"I can't do anything without his permission." Willow reminded her, keeping her voice down so Giles didn't hear them. 

"I know, I know...but if he and Cordy go on like this, they'll burn out and what'll Annabelle come home to? He needs to sleep just as much as she does."

"If he goes to sleep again, I'll see he stays that way until morning." Willow said, finally. "Is Buffy back yet?"

"She called about half an hour ago, said she's going to be a while longer. I think she said something about a late night sale, and I know Niamh pinched Wesley's credit card, and Faith had Spike's wallet last time I saw her." 

"Isn't it kind of sad how everybody seems to have paired off except for Buffy?" 

"Angel hasn't, and neither has Xander." Anya corrected her wife. 

"Well, anyway."

"And Buffy doesn't seem to mind very much. She's pretty happy, as far as I can see."

"Yeah. What is sad is her and Angel not working out."

"That relationship was doomed anyway. Vampire, slayer? So not going to work."

"Can you say, Faith and Spike?"

Anya flicked her fingers derisively. "Spike's got no soul, he's still a decent guy. Angel gets a happy and he turns into Mr Sarcastic And Murderous." 

"Spike can be pretty scary when he wants to be."

"Yeah, but he purrs like a big bleached blond kitten when Faith's around." 

"Point taken. I think we've kind of strayed from what we were originally talking about..."

"Right, right, Giles. Oooh, look, he's sleeping. Zap 'im, Will!" 

"Anya...!"

"Sorry."

Willow did her spell, and Giles yawned, stirred, and slept peacefully. The two women carried him (with some difficulty) into the back room and laid him on the mats. Anya went to find a blanket.

"...look at me like that, Wes, it didn't cost that much." Niamh crossed her arms and pouted. "Besides, you liked it, too." 

Wesley had to concede that. "But where on earth will you wear it?"

"I have friends around and about, I'm bound to need a good dress to party in every now and again." Niamh put the bag down on the sofa. "Anyway, I could have sworn you wanted to talk to me about Annabelle going AWOL through a portal."

"Ah. Yes. Right." Wesley nodded, and resisted the urge to wipe his glasses. He was not turning into Giles, dammit. "She's in an alternate reality--"

"Honey, I know that part. Skip to the good bits."

Wesley chose to ignore her interruption. "You, being a siren, can control magic with song--"

"I can see where this is going, and I'm not liking it, Wes." 

"Niamh, Willow could do the spell herself, but she's a whole lot more likely to die trying than you are. Nearly 400 years of experience counts for a lot, and the near-immortal thing counts for even more."

"So, you want me to go surfing through realities to find Annabelle?"

"In a word, yes."

"I know I'm going to regret this, but okay." Niamh paused, and then grinned. "And if I do, I get to go shopping and you get to not complain. At all. No matter what."

Wesley gave in. 

And, meanwhile, in the 'Liam' Reality...

Annabelle Elizabeth Giles was sulking. 

You see, in this reality, things were...different. Far too different. 

For one thing, Auntie Faith and Auntie Niamh had swapped boyfriends. Or at least, that's how Annabelle put it. 

When Faith and Niamh realised that this meant in Annabelle's world, Niamh was dating Wesley and Faith was dating Spike, they'd fallen in a heap of hysterical laughter. Nobody was entirely sure why, but evidently that amused them. 

She also didn't like the fact that this Mommy and Auntie Buffy seemed to hate each other. Annabelle was used to Mommy and Auntie Buffy being best of friends, with Auntie Willow and Uncle Xander. 

Then there was Mister Angel. She liked Mister Angel, both of them. The one who was her Uncle Angel, and was one of her Mommy's best friends, and she liked this Mister Angel. Even if he was this strange Mommy's husband. 

But he was really...different. 

Everything was just too different to poor little Annabelle. (Okay, except for Auntie Faith and Auntie Niamh and Auntie Anya. Nothing ever changed them)

"Annabelle?" it was the new Mommy. She looked up, with a faint sigh.

"Yup?"

Cordelia sat down next to the little girl, and was silent for a few moments, and Annabelle was about to say something, when she began to speak. "Annabelle...I know this must be all very confusing, but it'll be okay. Everything will work out in the end."

"This isn't just a story, Mommy." Annabelle pointed out. "The good guys don't always win, like they do on TV."

"I guess they don't. But I bet we could give those silly TV characters a run for their money, huh?"

"My real Mommy is a movie star, you know." Annabelle confided. "She's been in a couple of movies. One of them was about vampires and stuff, too, and it was called 'Prey'. Mommy says I can see it when I'm older. She was in this other movie, too, and I got a part in it as well. And sometimes there are reporters that come and ask Mommy questions and they did a special on TV about her, and it was called 'The Real Cordy Chase'." 

Cordelia couldn't help but be a little jealous of her other self, but she smothered it quickly. "How does she find the time for all the Sunnydale stuff and Hollywood?"

"Well, she's a very private person, and she doesn't 'live in the media', like other stars. She's stayed in Sunnydale with Daddy and everybody, and only goes away for movies every now and again, and sometimes I get to go with her. It's not like she's the Slayer." Annabelle was pretty worldly for a her age. (Apparently she was seven, just a small seven). 

"You said that 'TV special' was about 'Cordy Chase', but your last name is Giles and she's married...?"

"Silly. That's her movie star name. People look for Cordy Chase, so they don't pay any attention in the phone book to 'R&C Giles'. We were all in the TV special, though, and it was cool. I have a video of it." 

"I wish I could have seen it." Cordelia commented. 

Annabelle looked at her, innocent smile on her face. "It's in my back-pack, the one I was wearing when I fell through the portal thingie." 

"Really? What say you and me go and watch it, hmmm? Maybe it'll give you a little bit of your real Mommy to hold onto until we get you home." 

Annabelle grinned up at her, and they went hand-in-hand from the room. 

***

Author's Note:

This story is years after 'A Different World' as well as 'Surprise!'. I know, I've been neglecting 'A Different World', but I promise the next chapter of that story will be up before the next of this. 

Review!


	2. Crazy Red Head, Take Two

[Disclaimer: I do not own what Joss Whedon has created]

Author's Note:

To Imzadi, if you're reading this story:

You absolutely always request Lindsey in stories, and I'm sticking him in. Just not the way you'd expect.

History Always Repeats Itself

Chapter Two: Crazy Red Head, Take Two

by Adele Elisabeth

It had been Parent Day at school, but Cordelia couldn't make it, and neither could Giles, so Annabelle's backpack contained posters from some of Cordelia's movies, and two video tapes -- Cordelia's favorite starring role, 'The Chosen One', and 'The Real Cordy Chase'. 

So, they were gathered in the living room to watch 'The Real Cordy Chase', and maybe even that movie, mostly because it looked pretty good, and very familiar. 

On screen, Cordelia Giles sat in her living room with the reporter type guy, who Angel recognized with a start as Lindsey McDonald. 

"Through these past years, you've made a lot of films. Which would you say was your favorite?" Lindsey asked, flashing a million-dollar smile. 

"I would have to say it would be 'The Chosen One', because the writer and director was a close friend of mine, and it was great working with her." Cordelia gave her own trademark 100-megawatt grin. 

In the living room, Cordelia had been reading the blurb on the back of aforementioned movie. She looked incredulously at Annabelle. "I played the Slayer?"

"Auntie Willow wrote and directed it, it was really cool. Callista Winters, Vampire Slayer. They made a series." Annabelle nodded. "Shhh, now, and finish watching the program."

'The Chosen One' had kept them all amused, with characters mirroring everyone. 

Callista, the Slayer.

Alexandra, her geeky wiccan pal.

William (Will, or Wills), her occasionally moron-like mate. 

Faith (that one got a few laughs from everyone), the bitchy cheerleader and may queen.

Charles Price, Callista's Watcher. 

Jacqui Winters, Callista's mom.

Oh yeah -- and more. 

"So basically, back where you're from, Cordelia's a star and Willow writes movies?" Buffy asked Annabelle. 

"Auntie Willow's a writer, Auntie Buffy. Between Auntie Willow's writing, the Magic Box, and Mommy's movies, we're all pretty well taken care of." Annabelle nodded. She wasn't sure she liked this Auntie Buffy, who seemed to hate her Mommy (or how her Mommy hated her right back), but an Auntie Buffy was an Auntie Buffy. Right? 

"So, no problems coming back from the dead and being broke?" 

"We got the 'Bot a job while you were dead." Annabelle informed her. "Spike let us have her for patrolling and stuff, and she was all fixed up so she wouldn't think she loved him, because while you were dead, Uncle Spike met Auntie Faith and they're like Mommy and Daddy are now.The Bot's still around, she's fun." 

"Ah. Umm." Buffy just nodded. 

"Mommy said that Slayers were supposed to stake vampires, not date them, but she was only joking because she's friends with Uncle Spike and Uncle Angel, and they're vampires. Uncle Spike has a chip. Sometimes he babysits me, and I get to tag along when Dawnie goes over to his crypt to visit."

The 'Giles' Reality

Cordelia was having a relaxing aromatherapy bath. She sure as hell needed one. 

Not too far away, in Buffy's place, Buffy and Willow were winding down from the stressful day with the latest episode of their favorite show. You guessed it. 'The Chosen One'. 

On screen, Callista was breaking into a warehouse to rescue Faith and Alexandra, who had been kidnapped by a demon cult for sacrifices. 

"It's still kind of weird," Buffy observed as she watched. "But in a good way, y'know?"

"Kind of funny." Willow nodded. 

They watched in silence for a while, and when the credits came on, Buffy stood up. "Time to go kill stuff."

"Kill it more, anyway." Willow quipped. 

"Yuh-huh. Wanna come?"

"I'm Research Girl tonight. Finding a way to get Annabelle back. Niamh can get there, but she can't bring anything back. She wants to go anyway, y'know, stay with Annabelle. Be a link."

"Link?"

"Wes and Giles have a spell, which should allow us to talk to Niamh." 

"Cool. Should?"

"It may or may not work. Niamh wants to go, regardless. We all love Annabelle. She thinks it might make Cordy feel better if there's somebody she knows and trusts there to protect her wee girl."

"Not a bad idea. Let me know how it goes when I check back in." Buffy shrugged on her coat, and Willow got hers. Buffy would walk her to the Giles apartment, and then go slay some bad guys. That was how it worked, but Buffy always asked if she'd come patrolling, just in case. 

"Do your spell." Niamh instructed. "I'm going. Call me if it works, 'kay?"

"Niamh, wait," Wesley protested, stepping forward, but her clear soprano filled the room. Tendrils of multicoloured magic surrounded the siren, and then tightened around her, pulling at her. And then she was gone. 

"Bloody hell."

The Liam Reality

In the Liams' living room, Spike echoedWesley's sentiments under his breath as he got a lapful of a foreign Niamh. He knew it wasn't his Niamh, because his Niamh was in the kitchen, heating him up blood and making herself a cup of tea.

Anyhow, the foreign Niamh leapt out of his lap, startled. 

"Nice landing, pet." He drawled, standing up. "Oy, poof!" he yelled. "Inter-reality traveller number two, in the living room!"

Angel came down the stairs, from putting Annabelle to bed. Cordelia and the others were doing a research party in the offices. 

"Niamh?" Angel did a double-take as the Niamh of this reality came out of the kitchen to stand by her double. 

"Where's Annabelle?" Niamh demanded. "Well?"

"Firstly, is there something other than Niamh we can call you?" Angel asked. "We're going to get really mixed up."

"Angel, don't screw me around on this one. Where is she?" 

Angel could see he wasn't getting any further until Niamh was certain Annabelle was safe and sound. "She's upstairs, sleeping. She's top-and-tailing with Genevieve." 

"Okay." Niamh relaxed slightly. "And I have a middle name, Maeve. Call me that."

"All right, Maeve."

A little later, Niamh and Maeve -- jesus, she was even starting to think of herself as Maeve -- were alone in the living room. 

"What's it like, y'know, being in a different reality?" Niamh asked her double, in a 'I'm just asking you this to make conversation' way, to cover her curiosity. 

"Well...it's sort of weird. Obviously. In that it's so similar here that I can forget it's different, and then one of those little differences will jump and bite me on the arse." Maeve attempted to explain it, and was quite proud of the way she did. 

"For example?" 

"You've been reformed for decades, right?" 

Niamh had a sinking feeling. She nodded, slowly. 

"I 'reformed' about a year after Genevieve's visit to my reality. Sort of got caught in the act by some of the Scoobies." Maeve didn't look uncomfortable discussing it, which didn't surprise Niamh. She'd always been a very open person, in most ways, anyway. 

"How...?"

"Vampire in dark alley outside the Bronze, with girl. Your usual Saturday night scene. At first, Spike was going to come and, I don't know, subdue me or something, but Buffy stopped him when I staked the vampire. Of course, she rethought that when I turned and calmly slit the poor girl's throat." Maeve shrugged. "Then they attacked me, and for some reason, they didn't want to kill me. So I end up in chains in Spike's crypt as they try and reform me. What fun. Not. Anyway, it was my Wes that succeeded in the end. He's been hiding something from me for a while, but from the barest glance of a small black velvet box I got, I think I know what it is." 

Wesley, as if on cue, stood in the doorway. "Ladies, if you don't mind coming and joining the research party?"

The fiery-haired pair exchanged a glance and shrugged. Niamh was all for it -- something to distract her. Maeve just wanted to get Annabelle home. 

"So, what is the same in your...dimension?" Buffy asked, curious. She and Maeve were of the few that had managed to escape that dreaded, evil denizen of hell -- research. "Did you ever get the trio of nerds bugging you guys or anything?"

"You mean See Evil, Hear Evil, and Do Evil?" Maeve raised an eyebrow, and nodded. "Yes, we had the displeasure of their acquaintance. Broodier-Than-Thou entertained ideas of heading to the City of Angels and making it the City of Angel, but so far he hasn't followed through. I reckon he will, though. Seeing Little Miss Blonde And Dangerous -- sorry, you -- seriously screws him up. That and the fact her and Xander look like they'll pair off at any moment." 

"Is Tara there?" Buffy decided to ignore the prospect of Buffy-n-Xander smoochies. 

"Who?"

"That answers that question. Willow's girlfriend."

"Willow's married to Anyanka, told you that already."

"Oh. Right. Well...why does Annabelle look at me like she does? All disappointed and sad? She did it to Cordelia, too, when the two of us were--"

"On auto-bitch at a hundred miles per hour? Yeah, noticed that. It's probably because she's used to it being Mom, Auntie Buffy, Uncle Xander, and Auntie Will. The Scoobies. The inner circle that it's so hard to get into." 

"Cordelia Chase is an inner-scooby?" Now if that wasn't completely absurd she didn't know what was.

"Yeah. Buffy, Willow, Cordelia and Xander. Ever since the incident with Genevieve, or so I understand. They were already way established by the time I was in the picture. Cheerleader and the Tweed Avenger were engaged then, I think." 

"You know, I'm starting to see where Spike picked up his habit of renaming everybody."

"Who, me?" Maeve feigned innocence. "Bite your tongue! Nah, actually it was the other way around. I've picked up a few of his nicknames, too, over the years."

"What do you call Willow or Xander?" Buffy couldn't help but be curious. 

"Lumpy Minion One and Two. Nah, just joking," she hastily assured at Buffy's look, "The whelp -- blame the Billy Idol wannabe for that one -- would be Xander, and Willow's just...well, Wills. Though I have cracked a few jokes at her expense." 

Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"No rest for the wiccan."

"Oh, that's pathetic!"

"The whelp and I have long come to the conclusion that we are the comic relief. Which we provide, in spades -- hey, mini-bit, whatcha doin'?" 

Annabelle stared at her feet. "Everybody's different." She complained. "Wanted -my- crazy lady."

"Crazy lady?" Buffy raised an eyebrow, again. 

"So I'm the kook of the group. Sue me." Maeve defended, and scooped the little girl into her lap. "There ya go. One crazy lady with a side order of mini-bit." 

Annabelle giggled. Her Niamh could be depended upon to crack bad jokes and make her feel better. 

The 'Giles' Reality

"This is she."

"Lindsey, great to hear from you again! Yes, Thursday is fine."

"Annabelle's staying with relatives at the moment, but I'll tell her you said hi." 

"Yes, and Rupert. I'm sure he'll be really sorry he didn't get to chat to you again." 

"So, Thursday it is? Tell you what, you come to my place and we can all have lunch."

"No, it's no problem, really. Besides, you don't eat enough decent food."

"That is not real food, and it doesn't count anyway." 

"All right then. We'll see you then."

Cordelia hung up the phone. It was nice to chat to a friend who didn't have anything to do with the big, mean and uglies. 

"Cordelia? Who was that?" Giles asked, walking in the door just as she hung up. 

"Lindsey. He says hi. He'll be coming around for lunch on Thursday."

"What are you going to say about Annabelle?" 

"Firstly, we don't necessarily have to say anything about Annabelle, she could be just at a friend's, but as a matter of fact, I told him she's staying at relatives." Cordelia's face showed the strain she was under. "Please, don't tell me I have to cancel this. I need some normalcy right now, Rupert!"

"I wasn't going to say anything of the sort," he promised, catching her in his arms. 

Wesley blinked as he saw Spike's face in the water, rather than Niamh's. 

"Oy, Crazy Red Head Take Two, why is TweedManJr in this bowl of water?" Spike shouted. After a pause, Spike was pushed out of the way and Niamh was beaming at him. 

"Wes, your spell worked? Knew you could do it, babe." 

"Evidently. What's going on?"

"Where's Giles? I better talk to him about this."

Wesley looked up and called for the older man. 

After a moment, Giles was bent over the water. "Hello, Niamh. Where's my daughter?"

"You remember Genevieve Liam?"

"Oh, god."

"God had nothing to do with it, tall, dark and tweedy. Annabelle and I are currently enjoying the hospitality of Angel and Cordelia Liam. Genevieve and Owen are teenagers, now, and so much fun. I'm getting a good idea of what Annabelle's going to be like. The researching bug bit the alternate you in the arse, so we're all on research duty."

"Good idea. Is there someone there -- other than Spike -- who we can talk to?"

"How about I go get you?" 

To any idle listener, that would sound rather strange, Giles thought to himself. He nodded. "That'll be perfect."

"Perfucked." 

"Watch your mouth."

"My nose is in the way, and you can't pull rank on me, boyo. I'm way older than you. Respect your elders, young man!"

"I would if my elder didn't stop traipsing around barely decent. Those skirts of yours are awfully short, Niamh."

"Oooh, so you noticed? I'm telling Cordy on you!"

Giles had a sudden urge to wipe his glasses. "Niamh..." He said in a warning tone.

"Sorry, sorry. I'll scoot and find the other you. He can't sneak peaks at my posterior any more than you can, he married a Vengeance Demon! Clever man. Not." Niamh snorted. 

Five minutes later, and a hollered 'Hey, it's for you', Giles saw his own face reflected in the water. It was rather unnerving.

"Yes?" 

So this is how Cordelia and Angel felt. Or Niamh and Niamh, for that matter.

Heheheh. Thinking in unison? That's right up there on the Weirdometer. 

"I was looking for some information that didn't come laced in NiamhSpeak." 

The otherGiles chuckled. "She is rather...well..."

"I know exactly what you mean."

"I expect you do. In any case, I can tell you that your daughter is quite fine, and has settled down much more now that her very own personal 'crazy lady' has arrived on the scene."

"Typical."

"Quite. We're rather adept at dealing with the distraught parents -- the Genevieve incident some years ago springs to mind -- but it's quite an experience to be on the other end." 

"Isn't it though? Speaking of the Genevieve incident, sorry about giving you a fright then."

There was a lengthy pause, followed by a chuckle. "The image of myself and a younger Cordelia was quite startling, yes."

"Apparently you married Anya. That startled me, so I suppose we're even."

"How do you know about that?"

"Niamh mentioned it in passing while we were speaking. Here, it's Willow and Anya that are married, so...well, I just never considered Anya in that light."

"I never considered Cordelia in that light, either."

"Never?"

There was another of those lengthy pauses.

***

Author's Note:

I know, I promised the next chapter of A Different World out before the next chapter of this, but I'm suffering from Writer's Block on that story and inspriration on this one. It's a pain in the proverbial backside. 

So, I hope you all enjoyed this installment of 'History Always Repeats Itself' and will review. Like, now. 

Lindsey: [blinks, surprised] I've never been in one of your stories before...and why am I a...reporter? Hello, evil lawyer?

Author: Pfft. 

Lindsey: [sulks about his lack of evilness in this story]

Author: Okay, okay, how about the real you does some evil stuff? [placating tone]

Lindsey: [brightens] Really?

Author: Really. And, on that faintly spoilerish note, we draw to a close! Toodles til next time! 


	3. Annabelle's ABCs

[Disclaimer: I do not own anything Joss Whedon created, much as I'd like to own Spike]

Author's Note:

I agree, Imzadi, Lindsey's just a sheep in wolf's clothing. 

Lindsey: Hey! I object to that!

Adele: Aww, I sowwy. You're morally ambiguous, mmkay? [pats him condescendingly on the head]

Lindsey: [is sulking]

Adele: But I have taken a couple of leafs out of your book, Imzadi, Kate being one of them. We'll see how this works out. 

Lindsey: [looks thick as two short planks] Books...leaves...Kate?

Adele: [pats him on the head again] Run along now. 

Lindsey: Evil does not run along, [indignantly]

Adele: You run along or I turn you over to Niamh. Both of them. Niamh threatened to turn Giles Snr over her knee, why would you be any different?

Niamh: That's right. Equal parts humiliation and pain. 

Lindsey: [sufficiently cowed, runs along]

History Always Repeats Itself

Chapter Three: Annabelle's ABCs

by Adele Elisabeth

Liamverse

Anya had taken Annabelle to the park, along with Owen and Genevieve. Annabelle had sulked until Owen agreed to come, and Genevieve didn't want to be left out. It just wasn't fair that the little tyke liked Owen over her. Seriously, how weird was that?

"Excuse me, little girl?" 

Annabelle looked up into the friendly face of Lindsey MacDonald, and then the world went dark. 

Anya was practically hyperventilating on the sofa as they tried to get her to calm down. 

"Anya, tell me what happened," Giles instructed in his most soothing tone. He'd had a lot of practice calming his highly strung wife. 

"I took them -- Annabelle, Owen and Genevieve -- to the park because Cordy said to keep them occupied and Annabelle wanted to go, and I turned my back for just a second because Genevieve wanted to ask me something and when I turned back Annabelle was gone!" Anya was pretty good at the run-on sentences, but she was nothing compared to Annabelle. "I lost her, Rupert! I couldn't find her anywhere, so we came back here to tell you all just in case she was kidnapped or something."

"Who'd kidnap a little girl they knew nothing about?" Giles queried of no one in particular.

"Wolfram and Hart." Angel stated grimly. 

"Anything to get to us." Cordelia agreed. "They would have recognized Genevieve and Owen -- but they've had experience trying to kidnap them, that idea was screwed from the get go -- but Annabelle's too small and too human to be dangerous." 

"We're going to have to tell this to our alternate selves, you realise?" Giles had a sinking feeling about that. 

Cordelia looked equally unhappy. 

The Gilesverse

Cordelia's voice went up several octaves. "They lost my baby?" 

Giles had shuttered at the news, and the others had been shocked into silence. Willow had babbled herself out and Buffy was speechless. Xander went into another room to punch a wall, and came back, sheepish, with broken knuckles. 

"Not exactly. She was kidnapped." Wesley told her. "By Wolfram and Hart. An evil lawfirm."

"There are any other kinds of lawyers?" Xander quipped weakly, sinking into a chair next to Buffy. 

"Evil lawyers stole my baby?" Cordelia's voice went up several more octaves, and she sounded on the verge of hysteria. "I'm having guests today, Wesley, Lindsey and Kate MacDonald, I'm not supposed to be having to worry about my baby because they were taking care of her! They let her get taken away! Who was supposed to be watching her? Well? Who?" 

"Cordy," Buffy and Willow approached their friend, "Come on. Let's go get you calmed down, okay, and then we can do some research. Okay?" 

Cordelia wasn't okay, not by any stretch of the imagination, but she was soldiering on, and she'd told Lindsey and Kate that Annabelle was staying with relatives. Kate looked as though she might push the subject, as though she knew more than she was saying, but Cordelia thought nothing of it. 

Until, however, Kate caught her alone in the kitchen. 

"Cordy, we've been friends for ages, right?" 

"Yeah, why?" Cordelia asked, puzzled.

"And we can talk about anything, right?"

"Yeah..."

"You never said your husband was a Watcher." 

"I beg your pardon?"

"My best friend when I was eleven was killed by vampires. I witnessed it. Researching that kind of thing is a bizarre kind of hobby. Vampires, demons. I know what you're about to say -- either you're going for the flat out denial, or you're going to go on about how I should be careful. I am being careful. I'm not some amateur going out and trying to slay vampires, I'm just trying to keep safe. But I thought it was very curious when I heard of you and Rupert and your friends being discussed." 

"Where would you hear something like that?" 

"Magic shop I get my research from." 

"Makes sense." Cordelia allowed. "So...why talking to me about it now?" 

"Because what I heard was very definitely not good, Cordy. In fact, it was bad. Worse than bad. Dreadful."

"Kate. Skip to the good part. I mean bad part. Whatever."

"Well, I heard them talking about your daughter." 

That certainly got Cordelia's attention. "What about Annabelle?" 

"She's not at her aunt's, is she? I don't remember Annabelle even having an aunt." 

"No, she's not." 

"Where is she?" 

"She fell through a portal into an alternate universe. Happy?" 

"Alternate...?"

"Years and years ago, Genevieve Liam fell into our world. She was about four years old, daughter of Cordelia and Angel Liam. I was still in highschool. Her parents came through a similar portal to get her home. Annabelle fell through a demonic portal, and ended up where Genevieve came from." 

"You and Angel? Buffy's Angel?"

"Yeah, him. Weird, huh? At first we thought it was the future, but when we identified some changes between their world and ours, it turned out it was just a possible future. An alternative, if you will. So she's there. What did you hear, Kate?"

"News spreads fast, apparently. The slayer is so preoccupied with trying to get her goddaughter back, it'll be easier to get around her. You know the Slayer? Who is it? Annabelle has three godmothers -- me, Buffy, and Willow. It's certainly not me, so who is it?"

"Kate..."

"Please, Cordy?" 

"It's Buffy, okay? She's the slayer."

"She's tiny!"

"Okay, so she's a dwarfish slayer. Give her a break. I think slaying stunted her growth. Faith wasn't very tall either, and neither was Kendra."

"Faith...Kendra...?" 

"Don't ask."

"I won't."

"Does Lindsey know about your little 'hobby'?" 

"Yeah, he does."

"This certainly complicates things." 

"A little. Do you need any help researching? I've had plenty of experience there." 

"Rupert'll just love you. Voluntary research. Definitely a first. Are you sure you're not ill?"

"I'm laughing on the inside, Cordy."

"Pfft."

Liamverse

"I guess you're not nice like the real Uncle Lindsey." Annabelle muttered, glaring up at this notUncleLindsey. 

Lilah Morgan stifled a laugh. 

"Hey, you're that funny reporter! We laughed so hard the day your skirt flew up, live on camera." 

Lindsey smirked at her. Lilah glared. 

Annabelle cast her eye over Lilah's outfit. "Dark purple is a fall colour. It's summer. And those shoes..." She shuddered.

First the little brat mocks her, now she's questioning her fashion? Lilah seethed. 

Lindsey decided to take over before Lilah did anything rash. Annabelle was smirking smugly. Lindsey knew that smirk. He'd seen it on Cordelia Liam's face one too many times not to recognize it. And on Genevieve Liam's, come to that. 

"Annabelle, we'd like to talk to you about your arrival here." Lindsey said smoothly, half-sitting on the desk in front of her (Lilah's desk, actually). 

"How do you know about that?" Annabelle was startled, and it showed. 

"We have our ways." He replied, attempting to sound mysterious. Oddly enough, it worked. 

"Well, why didn't you just ask me at the park, or come to visit?" she groused. "Didn't have to kidnap me...oh." The little girl groaned. "Not again..."

"Again?" 

"People always kidnap the children! First it was Dawnie, now it's me. I've been held to ransom at least twice so far."

"Can we cut to the chase?" Lilah cut in. "She's really getting on my nerves right now." 

Annabelle poked her tongue out. "Bitch." She muttered. Mommy was always saying how she spent too much time with Uncle Spike.

Lilah gaped, and Lindsey chuckled. "I can't argue with you there, kiddo. Well, in the mean time, you're going to be staying with me, because none of our holding cells are...appropriate for someone such as yourself. And we'd like your stay with Wolfram and Hart to be as comfortable as possible." 

"Where are we going? Is it here in LA? No, that'd be stupid, and my Uncle Lindsey isn't stupid, so you can't be either. Unless things are really, really different. But you're an evil lawyer. So I guess you aren't stupid. So we must be going far away. Am I right?" 

"Dead on." 

"Careful with your metalfores. Things like that come true 'round abouts." 

"You may have a point." 

Annabelle figured that as long as she was being kidnapped, she could make the best of the situation. Since being a right little brat wouldn't get her anywhere, she'd try being a sweet little darling, and see where that took her. So far it had gotten her everything she wanted (bar freedom, that is). New clothes? Sure, just check out these catalogues. Want to watch a movie? DVDs in the cabinet. Can't sleep? Uncle Lindsey'll read you a story. Hungry? What do you want, pizza or ice-cream?

Yeah, life in captivity was good. 

Okay, except for the whole captive part. Annabelle wondered if her new Uncle Lindsey was as evil as all that. He seemed pretty much like her other Uncle Lindsey, to her. 

Maybe she could make him be a good person too. Like Auntie Niamh, or Uncle Spike. Or Auntie Faith, for that matter. Auntie Fai was the bestest ever. She resolved to do her best. It wasn't like there was much she could do, but what there was? She'd do it. 

So far it meant wrapping him around her little finger. 

And considering she'd been doing that all her life, it wasn't that hard. She could win anybody over. She was Annabelle Giles, 00QT. 

Eat my fairydust, James Bond!

"...and I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down." Lindsey read.

"No, no, no." Annabelle sat up in her bed, shaking her head. "That's not how it goes. He says, and I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll sign and eviction notice." 

Somebody's seen Shrek one too many times. 

"Is this like how the tortoise was on performance enhancing drugs? Or how the little mermaid was a little merperson? Or your version of the alphabet?" Lindsey asked suspiciously. Annabelle's version of the alphabet started off 'A is for Adultery'. Anya had been the one teaching her the alphabet. 

"Maybe." Annabelle allowed, grudgingly. 

He ruffled her hair. "All right. How about you tell me something?"

She brightened. "I know my alphabets really well! How about I do that? A is for Adultery, which is very bad. B is for Beastiality, leave those sheep alone. C is for Criminal Lawyer, I told you to leave those sheep alone--"

"How about something else?"

***

Anya's Alphabet:

A is for Adultery -- which is very bad. 

B is for Beastiality -- leave those poor sheep alone. 

C is for Criminal Lawyer -- I told you to leave those sheep alone!

D is for Divorce -- refer A

E is for Edible Body Paint -- refer A

F is for Fornication -- refer A

G is for Grand Theft Auto -- refer D

H is for Hitman -- refer D

I is for Illustrations -- the Kama Sutra, a godsend.

J is for Judgement -- refer D

K is for Killing -- just for the hell of it.

L is for Lewd and Lascivious -- refer B

M is for MidLife Crisis -- refer Y

N is for Nightly -- not likely.

O is for Onanism -- refer D

P is for Passive Agressive -- if you don't get what you want, neither does he.

Q is for Quick -- let's hurry up and finish this damn thing. 

R is for R-Rated -- refer B

S is for Sado Masochism -- sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me. 

T is for Tough Love -- see above

U is for Underworld -- demons and shit. 

V is for Vengeance -- refer A

W is for Winter Nights -- there's no better way of keeping warm. 

X is for eX-husband -- refer A

Y is for Youth -- recapturing.

Z is for Zoo -- refer B

Actual Author's Note:

Making up Anya's Alphabet was rather amusing, actually. My Mum helped. (Stop looking at me that way)

I may have to use that again sometime. 

Anya: [takes a bow]

Spike: [applauds loudly, with catcalls]


End file.
